The Barracudas
The Barracudas is an English-Canadian band that formed in the late 1970s and is now based in England. The band's original line-up consisted of Jeremy Gluck (vocals), Robin Wills (guitar and vocals), Starkie Phillips (bass and vocals) and Adam Phillips (drums); but this formation was disrupted before the recording of the band's first 7" single when both the Phillips' left.[1] The band is notable for their summer 1980 hit single "Summer Fun", which started with an excerpt from a spoof 1960s advertisement for the Plymouth Barracuda and included dialogue of announcers having difficulty pronouncing the word barracuda. The single reached number 37 in the UK Singles Chart, it has been described as "fun" with an attitude that can't be faulted.[2] The band lasted until 1981 with a final performance in Madrid, however they have reformed on more than one occasion since that time. Early history[edit source | editbeta] The beginnings of the band have been traced back to 1978, when Gluck met Wills at a Dead Fingers Talk concert where the pair shared a passion for "garage" and "psychedelic" music from the 1960s.[3] Wills, a Swiss guitarist, subsequently left his band Unwanted and formed The Barracudas with Gluck, originally using the name RAF (the name, "Barracudas", was in reference to a Standells song that they both knew and loved).[1] For their inaugural recording, Gluck and Wills were joined by David Buckley on bass and vocals, and Nick Turner on drums and vocals; this line-up was to be the formative one for the band's most significant time together. John Peel frequently played their independent single, "I Want My Woody Back", and consequently attracted the interest of the major labels. The band chose EMI. The band was pleased with the signing decision, as the label had hosted a number of favored musical acts: Jeremy loved The Beach Boys, Robin swore by the Flamin' Groovies, David loved the Beatles and Nick was a fan of both. The Barracudas made it to Top of the Pops and were occasionally mobbed on tour.[citation needed] Recent activity[edit source | editbeta] Originally perceived as a novelty surf act due to the first album, subsequent recordings showed them to be a fierce garage rock and roll band, in the mold of the 13th Floor Elevators and The Seeds.[citation needed] The band split in 1984, but reformed in 1989 to record "Wait For Everything", and then again in 2003. In 2005 they recorded the self-titled album on NDN. Throughout their career their live performances have been energetic and frenetic.[citation needed] Discography[edit source | editbeta] 7" Singles[edit source | editbeta] *"I Want My Woody Back" / "Subway Surfin" Cells CELLOUT 1 (February 1979) *"Summer Fun" / "Chevy Baby" Zonophone Z5 (July 1980) *"His Last Summer" / "Barracuda Waver" / "Surfers Are Back" Zonophone Z8 (September 1980) *"(I Wish It Could Be) 1965 Again" / "Rendezvous" Zonophone Z11 (November 1980) *"I Can't Pretend" / "K.G.B. (Made a Man Out of Me)" Zonophone Z17 (January 1981) *"Inside Mind" / "Hour Of Degradation" Flicknife FLS027 (February 1982) *"I Can't Pretend EP" Voxx/Bomp EP3303 (June 1982) *"The Way We've Changed" / "Laughin At You" Closer CL0006 (March 1984) *"Stolen Heart" / "See Her Eyes Again" Closer CL7-15 (September 1984) *"Live EP" Record Runner RRR-002 (1984) *"Very Last Day" / "There's A World Out There" Bucketful Of Brains BOB7 (June 1985) Free with magazine *"Hear Me" / "She Knows" Dog Meat Records Dog022 (1989) *"Next Time Around" / "Takes What He Wants" Sympathy for The Record Industry SFTRI49 (July 1990) *"I Thought You Sounded That Way Yesterday" Shake SAL202 (January 1991) *"Don't Ever Say It Can't Be So" / "Not That Kind" Munster 7183 (2003) *"What You Want is What You Get" / "Somebody '05" NDN NDN040 (2005) *"Two Headed Dog" / "Teenage Head" Pop The Balloon Bang26 (2010) 12" singles and EPs[edit source | editbeta] *"House Of Kicks" Flicknife FLEP103 (May 1983) *"Live In Madrid" El Piso K9EP13 (July 1984) *"Stolen Heart" Closer CL12-15 (September 1984) *"Grammar Of Misery" Shakin' Street YEAHUP015 (October 1990) Albums[edit source | editbeta] *''Drop Out with The Barracudas'' LP Zonophone ZONO103 (February 1981)/ Voxx 200.009 (1982) *''Drop Out with The Barracudas'' CD EMI Gold 8757582 (May 2005) remaster with bonus tracks/ Voxx VCD2009 (June 1994) different bonus tracks *''Mean Time'' LP Closer CL001 (February 1983)French/CD Mau Mau (June1995) inc bonus tracks/CD Airmail (November 2006) remaster with more bonus tracks *''Live '83'' LP Coyote COR021 (October 1983) *''Endeavour To Persevere'' LP Closer CL009 (April 1984)/CD Mau Mau (June 1995) inc bonus tracks/CD Airmail (November 2006) remaster with more bonus tracks *''The Big Gap'' LP Coyote COR022 (July 1984) *''Los Angeles and Vicinity Vol 1 (Live in Le Havre 1982/09/18)'' LP 66 Records MP1002 (1985) Bootleg *''(I Wish It Could Be) 1965 Again'' LP GMG 75003 (January 1985) *''The World's A Burn'' LP Trust Minitrust1 (April 1985) *''Live In Madrid'' LP Impossible A4-25 (July 1985) *''Surf and Destroy'' LP/CD GMG 270 (June 1987) *''The Garbage Dump Tapes'' LP/CD Shakin' Street YEAH HUP 006 (January 1990) *''The Complete EMI Recordings'' CD EMI C2-95 185 (January 1991) *''Wait For Everything'' LP/CD Shake 203 (February 1992) *''Two Sides of a Coin 1979-84'' CD Flicknife/Anagram CDM M GRAM 62 (March 1993) *''Through The Mysts Of Time: Rarities 1979-81'' CD Voxx VCD2072 (October 1999) *''This Ain't My Time: Anthology '79-'90'' CD Castle (2001) *''The Barracudas'' LP/CD NDN NDN41 (October 2005) *"Nothing Ever Happens In The Suburbs, Baby!" 10 Mini-LP NDN45 (2006) Category:Bands